Gorshkov tab is fixed at $2.34 bn

Defence Ministry is all set to seek the approval for acquisition of Admiral Gorshkov from Russia at a final cost of $2.34 billion.

Six years after the first agreement and the price escalation and hard talks that followed,the Defence Ministry is all set to seek the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) for acquisition of the aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov from Russia at a final cost of $2.34 billion in January 2004,India first agreed to acquire Gorshkov at the refit cost of $974 million.

Once cleared by the CCS,the Gorshkov deal will be signed during the visit of Russian PM Vladimir Putin on March 13.

The Gorshkov deal is in the final stages and the agreement will be signed as soon as the CCS gives a green signal to the proposal, a senior official told The Indian Express.

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The 44,500-tonne carrier,which was to be initially delivered in 2008,will reach Indian waters in 2013-14 after its total overhaul,upgradation,weapon integration and sea trials.

Given the Chinese PLAs thrust on a sea-based doctrine,India is keen to replace the vintage INS Viraat with the Gorshkov rechristened INS Vikramaditya to protect its western seaboard and project its power in the Indian Ocean.

During the Putin visit,an agreement to purchase another 29 MiG-29 K multi-role carrier-based fighters at a cost of $1.12 billion will be signed.

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